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David Bearman’s Bold Career Moves Are Helping Shape the Sports Betting Industry
David Bearman has built a career around taking calculated chances, and his latest move is bringing his experience in sports media and betting into the...
By Wavers Multimedia
A veteran of the sports media industry, Bearman is preparing to teach “Fantasy and Sports Betting Careers,” a new course at the University of Florida’s College of Journalism and Communications. The programme is designed to introduce students to career opportunities across the growing fantasy sports and sports betting sectors.
Bearman’s connection to sports betting began long before the industry became widely accepted in mainstream American sports media. His early professional experiences included working with sports betting radio pioneer Ed Kaplan, an experience he credits with sparking his interest in the field.
He later joined ESPN, where he became involved in expanding the network’s use of sports data and betting information.
During his time at ESPN, Bearman pushed for betting odds to become part of the network’s coverage, initially facing resistance because professional leagues were still cautious about their association with gambling.
The landscape changed significantly after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the federal ban on state-authorised sports betting in 2018. Bearman then helped develop ESPN’s betting coverage, including work that contributed to the launch of Daily Wager and ESPN’s first sportsbook partnership with Caesars.
He also played a role in introducing live betting odds during sports broadcasts, helping move betting information from a specialised interest into a more visible part of sports coverage.
After leaving ESPN, Bearman joined Pro Football Network as chief commercial officer. He later continued working across the industry through his Betting with Bearman podcast, newsletter and consulting work.
His move into education represents another stage of that career. Bearman previously developed a course focused on fantasy sports, sports betting and media, and his upcoming class will examine specific careers within the sector, including sportsbook risk management, betting analysis and fantasy game development.
For Bearman, the latest venture reflects the same approach that has shaped his career: identifying opportunities early and taking the risk of pursuing them.
His journey also illustrates how sports betting has moved from the margins of sports media into broadcasting, technology, business and now higher education.